Cameroon: Waza National Park

We passed the Sultan’s Palace realizing that in northern Cameroon, Moslem sultan’s are government officials. During my stay in Douala, Cameroon, I had the opportunity to visit the Waza National Park in 1983. It was founded in 1934 as a hunting reserve, became a national park in 1968, and a UNESCO biosphere reserve in 1979.

The native tribes who had their villages within the park were resettled and served as a deterrent to poaching and helped to preserve the park’s resources. The park was managed by the newly formed Cameroon Ministry of Environment and the Protection of Nature.

Waza was formed on the flood plains of two river systems and behind a dam built to irrigate rice, improve fish production, enhance grazing land, and to increase surface water for wildlife, including birds that migrate from Europe during the winter season.

We passed amazing scenery including the sultan’s palace along the only road in northern Cameroon.

At the entrance to Waza, we were told poachers had killed many animals, but 25 armed rangers were there to protect the animals... and us! And! a welcoming dance for us would begin soon.

We drove into the park, found a hut for the night, filled our canteens from the camp’s pump, and enjoyed the dancing women.